Bloodbound: The Alliance
Chapter 23 - 27

Chapter 23: Chapter 27

Blurry pieces coalesce into an even blurrier image, consciousness splicing into sight like sudden sharp light. I lift my head, turning my face skyward at the dangling bulb above my head. The single‌ source of light in a room submerged in the depths of darkness. I am seated on a metal chair, unrestrained and yet fear chains me to it like tangible tethers.

No windows. No natural light. I must be underground.

The fact that I sit unbound scares me more than being restrained. The grim confidence, a ghastly certainty that even if I tried to run... find a door... an exit. There is nowhere out for me. All because I was following my father? Why would someone care? Why would they protect him like that?

A distant rattle seizes my attention. A heavy door opens, followed by marching footsteps. No more than two men. And I’m right. One Caucasian male and a Japanese man step into the pool of light, leaving the door wide open, light pouring inside at the entrance.

"Usually, I’d do the whole interrogation and torture spiel," says the white guy. "Who are you? Who do you work for and why did they send you? But we already know who you are and that’s the only reason you’re alive."

Dread slips in a shiver that shudders through me.

"Miss Du Pont, can you tell us what gave you the motivation to stalk your own father?"

I want to answer, but terror sows my lips together.

His patience exceeds with the span of an exhale. "Don’t think because of who you are that I won’t do what I have to, in order to get you to talk."

My blood turns to ice.

He reaches for his back pocket. I gasp, flinching back, pressed against the chair, gripping the edges of the arms. He pauses to look at me with ample amusement. The man draws out my phone with exaggerated slowness. He wiggles it in the air in emphasis before he pockets it again.

"The last number you called. A burner phone. Untraceable. Why’s the mayor’s daughter talking to someone using an untraceable burner phone?" he asks as a demand.

Simon.

My lips part, my jaw trembling. Words form in my throat only to wither in my mouth.

"What’s that, sweetheart?"

I summon my voice. And it comes... eventually.

"It... it was the wrong number."

He laughs and glances at the stone-faced Japanese man. "Wow. You would think with a man like Alden being your father—you’d know how to lie better. You’re such a bad liar, it’s almost adorable. What kind of accidental call lasts that long? Did they find your voice as attractive as I do?"

I cringe, looking away, but he moves swiftly to capture my gaze.

"Look. At. Me."

I haul my gaze back to him, disgust and dread battling inside me.

"Who were you in contact with?"

My lips remain bolted shut. It’s the only thing I can manage.

"Please." He comes to stand in front of me, then sinks to his haunches. "Don’t make me hurt you."

My chest starts visibly rising and falling, my breaths coming out fast and shallow.

"Who are you protecting?"

He reaches for me. I shrink. He trails an idle finger down my temple.

"That face won’t look so pretty when I’m done with you."

A figure emerges on the abysmal horizon. His arm whips out—a cacophonous clangor—gunshot—blood bursts from his hand, stray spray splattering on my face. He screams mindlessly, and I scream with him, horror surging through me.

The darkness takes a shape, thawing from the shadows.

"You should know better than to touch what doesn’t belong to you." He jerks his chin at the other one. "Kare o oiharau."

The man snaps a nod and goes for the white guy. A bullet blasted through his hand, blood gushing from the hole, so agonizing, it brings him down to his knees, clutching his wrist. His constituent grabs him, heaving him to his feet roughly and drags him out of the room.

Botan approaches me. Hollow ferocity behind his eyes like he’s looking at an enemy. He looms over me, a darkness emerges in his gaze that appears inhuman. A soulless stare that suffocates me. In one fluid motion, the barrel is jabbed beneath my chin, forcing my face to tilt up. Instant tears. I clamp my eyes shut, hot and endless tears stream down my face, strangling the sound of my sob that causes me to shake.

"What am I going to do with you?" he says, dangerously calm.

***

Kelsey POV

My eyes fly open.

The door creaks open. The covers are well above my head. There’s no way he’ll be able to tell it’s me as long as he keeps the current distance. But of course he does the opposite. Silas comes inside. He closes the door behind him and creeps closer and closer. And he starts pacing thoughtfully, like a part of him wants to say something, but the other won’t let him.

"You awake under there?" he asks, checking.

I remain impossibly still and silent.

"Avie?" he repeats, just to be sure. Content, he continues. "You... you’re a dumbass for going out with him. But I’m an even bigger dumbass for putting him in your life. Not directly. It wasn’t my choice... this alliance. But I kept the secrets of why from you... still am, and it’s killing me."

I don’t think I should be hearing this... it’s also too juicy not to. What does he mean by he’s still keeping secrets about the alliance? I was so sure they told Avie every grisly and granular detail.

He stops pacing, then sighs heavily.

I fold my lips inwards, making sure not even a breath escapes me.

"I’m glad that—" his voice breaks. "I’m glad mom isn’t here—isn’t here to see what dad became and what he turned us into. We don’t protect you the way we do because we think you’re weak or incapable, but because you got something precious that we lost a long time ago. That’s what we’re protecting... your innocence. Your goodness—"

I flip the top cover down, revealing myself. Silas lurches back, eyes reddened with a face of shock, like I betrayed him or something. I wanted to help Avie but not at the expense of Silas, his words are not meant for me and she deserves to hear this confession for herself.

"Kel, what the hell?"

I sweep upright, sitting on the edge of the bed and pushing my long curls back.

"I’m sorry," I say, coming clean. "She’s gone. I don’t know where."

Shock transforms into outrage, hardening his face. "What the hell is going on?"

Observing a level of discretion, I say, "She made a call. I don’t know to who, on God. I don’t know. She’s been keeping secrets...even from me. All I know is that she asked me to do this favor to cover for her."

"So she can shirk off her guards," he says, trying to restrain his anger. "There’s a reason she was assigned her own protective detail, and now because of you. She’s vulnerable."

"How was I supposed to know she’s in some kind of mortal danger?"

"Common sense?" he says with a wry raise of his brows. "That’s the reason for all the security."

"And thank you for stating the obvious," I say with a scornful smile. "The question is why?" I know why. A truth but not the truth. "She has more guards tailing her than the mayor. You didn’t think that was odd? And that only happened when you guys became in league with the Vacherons. Very odd. And by your spontaneous confession, clearly you’re hiding more than you’re telling."

He falters visibly, his eyes blinking fast before resolve settles on him, masking his disquiet.

"Don’t turn this on me. Where is she? Kelsey, please, this isn’t a game. For her safety, we need to know where she is or who she is going to meet."

"Contrary to what you assume, she didn’t tell me everything. A complete violation of the best friend act, if I may add. But seriously, I don’t know. This is Avie we are talking about, I know that whatever she’s doing, she’s not going to put herself in danger."

"Not if danger has already found her."